Parcel-carrier.



No. 840,746. PATMENTED JAN. s, 1907. A.S.BRBTHERT0N.

PARCEL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED'SEPT. 25. 1906.

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. UNITE STATES ARTHUR S. BRETHERTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

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PARCEL-CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jari. 8, 1907i" Application led September 25,1906. Serial lNo. 336,175.

Improvements in Parcel-Carriers, of which p the following is a specification.

This inventionl relates to improvements in apparatus for the rapid conveyance or trans-` portation of small packages or parcels; and it consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

The obj ect of the invention is to provide a simple and practical electrically-operated apparatus of this character which Will be entirely automatic in its operation.

Another vobject of the invention is to provide an electrically-propelled carrier of the character described having combined track and conductor wheels which run both upon track-rails and in engagement with electrical conductor wires or rails.

- Further objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the structural features by means of which they are attained, will be made clear by an examination of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved package-carrier or transportation apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the same.

In the practice of my invention I provide a car or carrier 1 of suitable form and construction mounted upon peripherally grooved wheels 2, which run upon track-rails 3, and also engage Wires or rails 4, which latter are arranged above the track-rails 3. The trackrails 3 are preferably of the usual T form with a half-round top, as shown, and the elements 4 are preferably in the form of heavy Wires supported by hangers 5 from suitable supports 6. One kor both of the wires 4 may be used as conductors for conveying an electric current to the motor within the carrier or car 1, and they further serve to steady the car and retain it upon the track-rails, the grooves 7 in the peripheries of the Wheels 2 being sufficiently deep to effect this result. One or both of the track-rails 3 may also be used as electrical conductors.

While the apparatus may be mounted close to the surface of the ground or in an underground conduit or subway, I preferably mount it in an elevated position by securing `the track-rails 3 upon .cross-bars-S, which are suitably secured to posts orpoles 9,'.arranged Iat suitable intervals.. The supports '6 are in the form of cross-bars suitably secured to the posts -9 above lthecross-bars 8, las `shown in Fig. 2. the trackrails 3 upon each side of thepost,

so that one may be used for ,the `car for itsl into suitable compartments, and4 suitable doors 11 may be provided upon the flattened` top ofthe car-body, so as .topernn't of access to such compartments. An electric motor 12 of any suitable form may be disposed in one of these compartments and may be mounted either directly upon the axle of one I also-preferably arrange onepair of pair of the Wheels 2 or otherwise suitably f mounted and geared to one of the axles. It will be observed that the wheels 2 are fixed upon the projecting outer ends of transverse axles or shafts 13, which rotate in suitable bearings 14, arranged at opposite points in the car-body.

Any suitable means may bev rovided. for

i turning on and 0H and varying t e supply of` the electric current to the motor 12; but, as illustrated, this is effected by four levers 15, 16, 17, and 18, which have their lower ends projecting through and movable in slots or openings in the bottom of the car and their upper ends suitably connected to switches orV other devices (not shown) by means of which the desired effect may be produced. When the lever 15 is shifted, the motor starts at half speed. When the lever 16 is shifted, the car travels at full speed. When the lever 17 is shifted, the car slows to half speed, and

when the lever 18 is shifted the supply of curand 18 are successively operated by trip devices 19, arranged at suitable intervals along the track, so that the car is automatically controlled from the time it starts until the IIO time it reaches its destination. These trip devices are here shown in the form of metal plates securedupon the cross bars or supports 8 Jfor the track-rail and having their upper edges formed with notches 20, which aline with certain of said levers. When the car passes one of these trip-plates 19, which which has no space in line with one of its levers, such lever will strike the plate and be shifted, as will be readily understood.

The current is taken from a power plant (not shown) and conveyed tothe motor in vwires arranged above the same, one of said Wires serving as an electric conductor, of a carrier, an electric motor thereon, an axle driven'by said motor, and grooved wheels fixed upon said axle and engaged with said track-rails and said Wires, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with track-rails and wires arranged above the same, one of said wires serving as an electric conductor, of a carrier, an electric motor thereon, an axle driven lby said motor, grooved wheels fixed upon said axle to run upon said track-rails and engage said wires, and means for automatically controlling the supply of an electric current to the motor.

3. The combination with track-rails and wires arranged above the same, one of said wires serving as an electric conductor, of a carrier, an electric motor thereon, an axle driven by said motor, grooved wheels fixed upon said axle to run upon said track-rails and engage said wires, a motor-controlling device upon said carrier and a trip arranged adjacent to the track-rails for actuatingr said device. l

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR S. BRETHERTON.

Witnesses:

CHAs. R. MILLER, WM. ROTHENBERG. 

